The present invention relates to mixing solid pieces with a liquid, and more particularly, but not exclusively, relates to coating and coloration of landscaping materials.
There is a persistent interest in recycling materials. One type of material suitable for recycling is wood. Wood submitted for recycling may be of natural origin, such as discarded tree branches, or it may be derived from various discarded products, such as shipping crates and furniture. One way to recycle wood is to reduce the wood to a number of pieces of generally uniform size with a shredder, chipper, or grinder. Such comminuted wood is often suitable for use as a landscaping mulch. However, the varied types of wood available for recycling often result in a non-uniform coloration that significantly changes with age and exposure to the elements.
Another material for which recycling is often desired are the cinders resulting from steel manufacture and other industries. While some types of cinders of a fine-grained size may be suitable for use as a chemical agent, other cinder typesxe2x80x94especially cinder pieces having a maximum dimension of at least one inchxe2x80x94are generally not suitable for such applications. Moreover, as in the case of wood, the non-uniform appearance of cinders is generally undesirable.
Thus, there is a demand for further contributions in this area of technology.
One form of the present invention is a unique technique for mixing solids and a liquid.
Another form of the present invention includes a unique mixing technique to impart color to solid pieces with a liquid.
Still another form of the present invention includes a unique technique to recycle solid pieces. Such recycling can include coloring the pieces to provide a landscaping material. The solid pieces can include wood chips, rocks, cinders, rubber, glass, comminuted paper products, or such other composition as would occur to those skilled in the art.
In a further form, a solid/liquid mixer is utilized to impart color to cinder pieces. As used herein, xe2x80x9ccinder piecesxe2x80x9d broadly include solid pieces of ash, fly ash, clinkers, slag, and/or any other residue of a combustion process.
Yet a further form of the present invention includes: placing the number of solid pieces into a mixing chamber through an inlet; preparing a mixture including water and a colorant; selectively metering the colorant provided to the mixture with a first pump; delivering the mixture to the chamber under pressure with a second pump; rotating one or more rotary members in the chamber to intermix the solid pieces and the mixture; and discharging the solid pieces through an outlet of the mixing chamber.
For another form, the system includes a liquid dispensing subsystem, a mixer body, one or more rotary conveying members, and one or more drivers. The liquid dispensing subsystem includes a first pump to meter colorant and a second pump to pressurize a mixture of the colorant and water. The mixer body includes a chamber with an inlet and an outlet and one or more liquid input ports in fluid communication with the second pump to receive the mixture under pressure. The chamber receives solid pieces through the inlet and discharges the pieces through the outlet. The one or more rotary conveying members are positioned in the chamber to intermix the mixture and the solid pieces and to convey the solid pieces from the inlet to the outlet. The one or more drivers provide rotational mechanical power to rotate the one or more rotary conveying members.
Yet another form of the present invention includes putting a number of cinder pieces in a mixing chamber through an inlet and placing a coloring liquid in the chamber to impart color to the cinder pieces. One or more rotary members are rotated in the chamber to convey the cinder pieces to an outlet of the chamber.
For the further form, a number of cinder pieces are placed in a mixing chamber through an inlet and a coloring liquid is introduced into the chamber. The cinder pieces and the coloring liquid are intermixed by rotating one or more rotary members in the chamber and the cinder pieces are discharged through an outlet of the chamber after this intermixing.
Among other forms of the present invention is a mixing system with a vessel for supplying a liquid and a device for supplying solid pieces to mix with the liquid. The system has an elongated enclosure with a first end opposing a second end. The enclosure defines a chamber in fluid communication with the vessel to receive the liquid. The chamber also has an inlet and an outlet with the inlet being closer to the first end than the outlet. The chamber receives the pieces from the device through the inlet and discharges the pieces through the outlet. A motor driven rotary conveying member positioned in the chamber between the first and second ends rotates about a rotational axis to intermix the liquid and pieces. The rotary conveying member includes one or more helical flights to convey the pieces from the inlet to the outlet when the rotary conveying member is rotated. The pieces can include cinders to be colored for use as a landscaping material.
In yet another form, the one or more flights are mounted about an elongated shaft configured to rotate about the rotational axis and a portion of at least one of the flights does not contact the shaft while turning about the rotational axis for at least three revolutions, defining a space therebetween.
In a further form, a mixing technique includes moving a number of cinder pieces within a mixing chamber and blending water and a colorant to produce a liquid colorant mixture for supply to the chamber. The colorant is metered to the mixture with a pump while maintaining a desired flow rate of the water to the mixture. At least a portion of the cinder pieces are colored in the chamber with the mixture. The cinder pieces are then discharged from the chamber.
Further forms, embodiments, objects, features, benefits, advantages, and aspects of the present invention shall become apparent from the drawings and description contained herein.